


and us, by the lake

by orphan_account



Category: Sally Face (Video Games)
Genre: Alcohol, BUT LIGHT, Cigarettes, Drugs, Fluff, Homophobic Language, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Internalized Homophobia, Kissing, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pining, Short, drunk, teenagers being teenagers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-02
Updated: 2020-04-02
Packaged: 2021-02-28 20:47:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,880
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23443456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: sal just wanted to spend time with his friends, but spending time with his crush seemed like a better deal.
Relationships: Sal Fisher/Travis Phelps, Todd Morrison/Neil
Kudos: 55





	and us, by the lake

**Author's Note:**

> just a warning there's the f slur

Sal walked the school halls with long strides. He was pretty tired, plagued with nightmares, on top of all of the school work each night, but he was done for the week. In this shitty town known as Nockfell, one of the only fun things was when it was Friday. Most adults were at work, all of the other kids at the arcade or home, and you could stay out as late as you wanted with no school the following day.

For the blue haired teenager, he spent his Fridays by a lake with his friends. The lot of them would usually steal their parent’s alcohol or cigarettes. It was always fun, because no one could limit them or judge them there. They were free to swim and dance and talk as much as they wanted.

He met up with Larry, Ash and the rest of his group. They looked rather upset, which caused Sal to tilt his head and listen as they talked.

“My parents are making me do some dumb shit later, so I can’t hang out today,” Ashley was saying. “They were going to pick me up early from school today too, but I told them to wait. I think we’re going camping or something,” she groaned.

“Dude, that sucks. My mom is making me help her with something today,” Larry said. He ran a hand through his dark long hair and sighed. “At least you have Todd and Niel, Sal. Sorry to leave you like this.”

Sal shrugged. “That’s fine, dude. There’s always next week too.” As much as he just wanted to blow off steam with his friends, he understood they couldn’t always show up. At the very least, Todd and Niel were there, but they would probably wander off to kiss or something. 

“Niel and I are going on a date today. Sorry,” Todd said.

_ How utterly convenient, _ Sal thought. It was okay though. Maybe he needed some time alone by the lake.

The bus was leaving, so Larry and Ash left while Todd’s parents picked him and Niel up. Sal sat down on a bench and rustled through his backpack, where a lighter, a pack of cigarettes and a six pack of beer layed. Usually the masked man didn’t drink, as he feared addiction would set in just like his family, but Larry loved it.

Maybe he should just go home and sleep. 

“Hey, freak!”

Or maybe he could deal with Travis first. Whatever the universe wanted to throw at him today.

He turned his head and saw his blonde classmate, grinning and standing behind him. He bore a sickly purple and yellow bruise on his cheek, which somehow complimented his lilac shirt.

“What do you want, Travis?” Sal asked, folding his arms and standing up.

The blonde teenager faltered a little bit, then smirked again. Usually Sal was nice to everyone, regardless of how nice they were back, but all of his friends had just ditched him, so he didn’t want to deal with this right now.

It was like everyone could read his mind today. “What happened, all your circus show friends left you?”

Sal exhaled loudly. “Just tell me what you want. I have to go somewhere.”

Travis’ face dropped back to his normal scowl. He spoke with the same bitterness he used with everyone. “Where do you have to go?”

Something was up with him. That much was obvious. If Sal could’ve made a bet, he would use all of his life savings, which wasn’t much, towards Travis’ father having something to do with it. Injuries every day, spitting the same bible verses at anyone who upset him, the way he was so rude to everyone, and always picked fights (especially with Sal). It’s not like the blonde man wasn’t attractive. He had fair tan skin and messy blonde hair, not to mention a rather tired look to him all the time. It was pretty hot, but the constant anger on his face didn’t settle right. The forced eyebrows, the lines of stress, that sort of thing. Maybe if he smiled more. 

“None of your business,” Sal said, snapping out of his thoughts quickly. He wanted to leave, but even more so he wanted company. He couldn’t stop himself when the words spoke themselves into existence. “You wanna come with?”

Travis looked like he was told that Satan was behind him, fearful dark eyes scouting the rest of the courtyard. He then put up a front again. “Why, so you can try something, you faggot?” 

Sal wasn’t really offended by this. It was just a word, but he didn’t like how loud he was when he said that. With a voice that was low and almost gritty like Travis’, yelling didn’t quite suit him. A lot of things didn’t suit Travis.

When the blue haired man didn’t say anything, just look up at his classmate, the other sighed, obviously annoyed. He dropped his voice. “Where are you even going, anyway? If I were hypothetically to go.”

“To a lake.”

“To do what?”   
  


“Mess around a bit. I got some cigarettes, but I just remembered Christians don’t smoke. Nevermind.”

Sal started walking away when he heard his name being called.

“Sally Face! Get your ass back here, I’ll go!”

He smiled under his mask, which made it hitch up a bit. Smiling was sometimes uncomfortable, especially with how sticky it got at times. The blue haired man walked back, and took Travis’ hand (much to his protest).

“Stop it! Don’t touch me, freak!” He said, but eventually the walk over to the lake became quiet. 

Their hands were still met the whole way, even if they were sweaty. Sal always forgot how pretty it was on the walk. He used the silence to think about how he had dreamed of scenarios like this with Travis. It was just brief thoughts, something he did where he fantasized about someone for a night, about what it would be like if they were dating or something, then went on with his life. His small thoughts about Travis, though, eventually turned into a routine every night. Instead of the random person he saw while in town, he thought about leaving this town with Travis and adopting some cats and living in an apartment together. 

Maybe he had a crush.

Sal sat down and finally let go of his classmate’s hand, pulling out a pack and a lighter. Travis sat down farther away, watching silently. His dark eyes peered into Sal’s soul as he fumbled while lighting a cigarette. He undid his prosthetic jaw and took a long breath in, letting the smoke reach inside and back out as he exhaled. Already, all of the troubles and the nightmares from the week were gone.

“Want some?” He asked, handing it to Travis. 

He seemed to be confused on how to do it, taking it slowly. “Let me be clear on the fact that I’m only here because I have nothing better to do.”

Sal shrugged. “Okay.” Travis tentatively looked at it, then back at his classmate. He laughed, to the blonde’s dismay. “You inhale, let it sit in your mouth for a second or two, then exhale.”

Travis still was slow, and seemed pretty confused. He coughed afterwards, but he smiled a bit. “That feels… pretty… nice…”

The shorter of the two laughed again. “Of course you haven’t had one before. I’m not surprised.”

Travis took another hit, then tried handing it back. Sal shook his head. 

“I’m fine. I have a lot more.”

The trees rustled slightly, and Travis coughed. The blue haired man took out the six pack of beer and handed one to him. 

Travis looked pretty surprised, yet took it. He also seemed a little more loose at the moment. Less angry.

“I don’t drink,” the blonde said.

“Neither do I.” 

“Why are we drinking, then?”

“Special occasion,” Sal mumbled. His face was getting hot, just sitting here. Travis looked a lot cuter right now, a curious look on his face, relaxed. It was too much to handle.

They clinked bottles (something they were able to do because Travis had moved closer) and both took a drink. It was bitter and burnt his throat, but now Sal’s mind was fuzzier and lighter. 

Travis stuck a tongue out. “Eugh! That’s disgusting!” He said. The other giggled at this. “Seriously! It burns…”

“That’s what it’s supposed to do, idiot.” Sal smiled and Travis swat at him playfully. He was happy to see his classmate so loose. 

They stayed, watching the water ripple on the lake as the wind rolled over the trees. The sun had started setting, but it really wasn’t that late. They finished a few more cigarettes, but layed off the beer.

“Y’know I don’t haate you guys, right?” Travis asked. Sal recalled the day in the bathroom briefly, and the note.

“Yeah. You don’t need to act the way you do though.”

He sighed, frustrated. “But that’s just the thing. I  _ do.  _ I need a reputation like this so I can stay safe from my father.” Tears threatened to spill from his eyes.

Sal didn’t want to see his crush cry, as it made him sad, but he probably didn’t get to much. Crying is healthy, anyway. “You don’t have a lot of friends.”

“No. Maybe I should join your group,” Travis said with a smile. It made Sal feel giddy and lighter than before.

“Maybe you should. I’d like it.”

They stared at each other, smiling like idiots.

“I think I like you,” the blonde teenager said. If he wasn’t nervous before, Sal was now. He kept listening though. “But I shouldn’t. It’s a sin, and it’s bad, y’know? Everyone’ll hate me if I do anything about it.” The masked teen moved closer, still listening. “I wish I was like you. You don’t give two shits what anyone has to think or say about you, and yet you’re still nice to me, and everyone. Why?”

Sal held his hand out for Travis to hold, who gave him an appreciating smile. “If you let other people stop you from being yourself, are they even right to be around in the first place?” Travis looked at him like he was telling him the most important information he’d ever need to know. “And not everyone will hate you,” he added. 

He was gently brought into a warm hug. The affection was something he wasn’t used to at all. It gave him an even better feeling than beer or nicotine. Travis’ face was suddenly mere inches away from Sal’s, his quiet breath giving away his panic. “Can I… Can I kiss you?”

Sal nodded, lifting up his mask slightly. He didn’t care if Travis saw his face, if he did what could he do about it? 

Chapped lips met scarred ones. It was short and light, yet it caused Sal to feel a warm good feeling in his chest. He almost melted when Travis brought him back for another one, and ran his fingers through his blue pigtails. It felt nice, even if physical affection wasn’t something Sal could say he was used to. 

“We should sleep over.” He said while resting in between kisses. Travis nodded, and they stood up and left.

**Author's Note:**

> just a quick character study, as i’m working on a big fic with these two :) i’m done with the first chapter so far, as well as the whole plan of it. If u’ve read every single fanfiction and you still want more, just write them lmao. i really like this ship but i'm starting to think i just really really like travis at this point


End file.
